Making up formula bottles

[SamanthaM1625]

This has probably been posted a million times but just thought I'd ask the question. What is the best way to make up formula for baby?

My last two babies we sterilised the bottles, teats etc, boiled the kettle, added the water to the bottles and left on the side, we then added formula later as and when baby required.

I have had no issues with doing this with my two boys who are now 8&6 but a community midwife today has told me I should never do this and make up as required with boiled water that's cooled for 20mins. How is this doable with hungry babies?

So please any advice/tips would be greatly appreciated on how you guys do it! Xx

I use a perfect prep when home-it adds a hot shot to kill bacteria in the powder then automatically tops it up with cool filtered water. When out, I use a flask of hot boiled water to add a ‘shot’ to the formula then top it up with cooked boiled water from another flask. I use ‘chilly’ branded bottles and have found they keep hot for about 10 hours.

You need to use very hot water to kill bacteria in the formula.

I do batches. Sterilise bottles and boil kettle. I allow kettle to cool a little (max 20 mins), put formula and water in and give a good shake. I rapidly cool the bottles then store in the back of the fridge and reheat as needed. I have been doing this since our 1st as it was the recommended method then and had no issue

I used to have a perfect prep machine however have found it made my lo super windy and the bottle was never warm enough.
We find it so much easier on a morning to measure out into sterilised bottles some boiling water, put in the fridge to cool.
Then when making a bottle if we wanted a 7oz we would measure out 3 oz of boiling hot water, then add 7 scoops, stir with a spoon then add the measured cold water (4oz) then would have a 7oz bottle ready to drink.
We found this quicker than perfect prep and it reduced my little ones sick dramatically.
Hope this makes sense xx

Formula kettle which holds the water hot enough to sterilise the formula powder and then stand in a jug of cold water from the fridge - takes 5 mins tops.

uneeqbaby.com/collections/multi-functional-formula-kettle/products/uneeqbaby-baby-formula-kettle-with-built-in-thermostat

Thank you all who have replied, I'm going to go with the batches in the fridge and warm as required and the flask method when out and about. Last night was successful with the feeds made up and warmed so happy about that. Thanks again ❤️ x

@Chely

You need to use very hot water to kill bacteria in the formula.

I do batches. Sterilise bottles and boil kettle. I allow kettle to cool a little (max 20 mins), put formula and water in and give a good shake. I rapidly cool the bottles then store in the back of the fridge and reheat as needed. I have been doing this since our 1st as it was the recommended method then and had no issue

I used to do this for both of mine It was how you were supposed to do it but then the guidelines changed between my babies but I did the same with number 2 I used to do 6 bottles every evening to last a full day. Be aware that’s not recommended now though

@SamanthaM1625

Thank you all who have replied, I'm going to go with the batches in the fridge and warm as required and the flask method when out and about. Last night was successful with the feeds made up and warmed so happy about that. Thanks again ❤️ x

You are not meant to keep bottles longer than 2h (even if are stored in the fridge).

Sorry, I know it's super complicated and something I have broker my head about fit weeks as My midwife (and NHS website) also told me that you shouldn't use freshly boiled water as that might destroy the nutrients in the formula. So you need to wait for it to have cooled down but not cooler than 70C, which would be about 30min.

What I do now is to fill a thermos with boiled water from the kettle and another with boiled cold water. The second thermos goes in the fridge. When I need formula I prepare it by putting the required amount of formula into half the required amount of hot water from thermos 1, wait for a minute and then add the remaining amount of water from the thermos with cold boiled water. So the milk is st the right temperature for DC to drink.

Have you smelt formula when it been made for more than two hours? It goes rank so quick even in the fridge. Get a perfect prep or add the scoops to a few ounces of boiled water and top up with cool water. It takes about a minute and the milk is fresh.

@DigOlBick

Have you smelt formula when it been made for more than two hours? It goes rank so quick even in the fridge. Get a perfect prep or add the scoops to a few ounces of boiled water and top up with cool water. It takes about a minute and the milk is fresh.

Yes I have and it smelt and tasted fine

Hello, I pour freshly boiled water in a flask. And store boiled, cooled down water in the fridge. My boy eats 4oz so when I need a bottle, I pour 2oz of flask water, add formula, stir then add 2oz of the cooled water from the fridge. This makes an instant bottle and you don't have to boil the kettle each time you need a feed.
Flask should only be used for water, don't need to sterilise it just make sure it's clean.

When we go out I usually take ready made formula.

Literally so confusing, when I had my first 2 8 years ago, all midwives and health visitors recommended the first method I originally posted about, both kids are alive and well 🤣 fastfasward a few years and everything changes lol I can't keep up. The milk seemed fine after being in the fridge but will go with the flasks to be on the safe side, if indeed that's what it is😅 thanks everyone x